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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25639147">Desertification</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaughtinCandy/pseuds/CaughtinCandy'>CaughtinCandy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Angst, Definitely no main character romance, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Uchiha Sasuke retrieval arc, Sand Siblings-centric, probably no romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:21:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,184</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25639147</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaughtinCandy/pseuds/CaughtinCandy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Baki forced his body to continue, almost mechanically. His mind never wandered though, from the spot where his three students had stood less than a moment ago. A single thought in his mind persisted through the chaos of combat. Shit.</p><p>Events take an unfortunate turn during the sand siblings final mission together as a team. Thrown completely off guard, and literal universes away from the walls of Suna, the three will have to set aside their differences and work as one if they ever intend on returning home again. With rising dangers lurking both internally and externally, is such a goal even possible?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Superbloom</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello everyone, and welcome to my newest story! </p><p>I'm very excited to work on this new project, as I absolutely adore the sand siblings and feel like they don't get nearly enough love.  I hope to explore their bond after the failed Konoha invasion, but before the Sasuke retrieval arc so that's when this story will take place. I hope that throwing them into the absolutely foreign world of Harry Potter will allow us to explore the characters from both stories in an interesting and entertaining way!</p><p>This chapter takes place only in the Narutoverse, and will be moving into the Potterverse next chapter. </p><p>Please let me know what you guys think, and I'll see you guys tomorrow for the next chapter of 'How the Sky Falls'!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was unusual for the dry desert village of Suna to experience the same stormy weather as their neighbouring countries. Kankuro and Temari watched with equal parts interest and annoyance at the torrential rainfall that bombarded the streets they called home. </p><p>Kankuro was a tough looking man at first glance. The young shinobi had a strong jawline and wide nose. His eyes were such a dark shade of green that, at first glance, one would simply believe they were black. His messy hair was carefully hidden under the dark, cat-like hat he always wore. If not for his features being carefully patterned with purple face paint, one would easily be able to see the resemblance between himself and his late father.</p><p>Unlike her brother, few would see Temari as an intimidating girl at first glance. Her blonde hair was unruly, and the parts she was able to wrestle away from her face were pulled back into four symmetrical ponytails. Despite being the eldest sibling, she was still young at only fifteen years old. Even so, signs of maturity were starting to assert themselves as girlish features on her face. Her teal eyes were framed by long lashes that would be welcoming, if not for the fierceness of her gaze. </p><p>It was only when seeing Temari in action, or being unfortunate enough to anger the young kunoichi, that one would feel the appropriate amount of fear. Her form was small, but that didn’t stop her from easily lifting her large metal fan, only a head smaller than her own height, and gracefully trapping her opponents in a swirling and inescapable vortex of wind. </p><p>Temari’s left hand tapped absently on her leg as her head rested in her right palm. The rain fell heavily,cutting through the silence that had persisted since her brother Kankuro had decided to sit in the room with her. She wanted to say something, to break the silence. Instead, Temari’s mind drifted to the storm, and the inevitable flooding that would be caused by it’s ruthless assault. As usual, Temari knew she would be left to deal with the aftermath.</p><p>The boy sighed softly as he too directed his attention to the chaos outside. Kankuro had seen a few downpours such as this before now, and he knew it was something to look forward to. Just underneath the desert floor was a hibernating well of life. He knew that the dry landscape would drink in the rain water, almost greedily, and a spring of flora would awaken from its slumber. This temporary surge of wildlife was of particular interest to him, as he could utilize it to make strong poisons and antidotes. This was something Kankuro had always excelled at, and he utilized these talents immensely when fighting with his deadly puppets. </p><p>‘He hates it when it rains.’ Temari said, finally deciding to break the silence. </p><p>‘After what he’s been through, can you blame him?’ Kankuro asked, turning to face his sister properly. Her back was still facing him as she peered out the window, but she hummed in agreement. After another moment of silence, Kankuro decided to breach the topic that had been on both their minds. ‘Watchin’ him join the regular forces, that’s not gonna be easy. Not for any of us.’</p><p>Finally, Temari tore her eyes away from the storm outside and considered her brother for a moment. He looked as worried as she felt, but she tried not to let it show. </p><p>‘It’s risky.’ Temari agreed. She leaned over, resting her hand on his, ‘He needs to know we trust him. That we believe he can do it.’ Kankuro seemed to think that over before, slowly, he nodded his head.</p><p>‘Yeah, still. I just wish… Y’know.’ Kankuro looked to his fists as they clenched. </p><p><em>‘I just wish I could be there for him.’</em> Temari mentally finished. She felt a pang of guilt run through her at the thought. They had abandoned their little brother many years ago, when it was easier to turn away than it was to reach forward. Now that they were finally getting him back, neither Temari, nor Kankuro, liked the idea of forcing him to face such difficulties alone for a second time.</p><p>Gaara. He had always been a troubled kid. For a long time, Kankuro and Temari lived with an uneasy fear of their younger brother, who would threaten to kill them for the slightest of reasons. His bloodlust was exaggerated by the sand spirit Shukaku, who had resided in him since his birth.</p><p>Loneliness furthered his madness, and he became a true terror amongst his people until a shinobi from the hidden leaf village reached out to him. Naruto Uzumaki replaced his pain with hope, and ever since then, Gaara was working to show people that he wasn’t what they all feared he was. That he wasn’t a monster.</p><p>‘Gaara <em>isn’t</em> the one I don’t trust.’ Kankuro asserted at last. Such words were ones neither he, nor his sister, would have ever thought let alone say out loud only a few weeks ago. Even now, the slight waver in his voice, almost imperceptible but still there, let Temari know that this wasn’t quite true. The siblings had come far fast, but trust took time. </p><p>‘He’ll be okay, Kankuro.’ Temari reassured him. Her mind told her there were too many factors that couldn’t be controlled. Too many ways it could all go wrong. Too high of a chance Gaara would simply give up and return to his old ways. She thought of the pained expression in the young boy's eyes when he had apologized and decided, just this one time, she would trust her heart over her head.</p><p>It was only a few days later that Kankuro, Temari and Gaara were called together by their team captain, Baki. They had walked down the streets of Suna, curiously eyeing the bits of green that began peeking out from the cracked earth as villagers stared in equal measures disgust and disinterest.</p><p>‘You’re late.’ Baki said, as the three finally arrived at their destination. Temari and Gaara both turned to eye Kankuro silently, who looked taken aback by this obvious betrayal.</p><p>‘I had to finish assembling my newest puppet!’ Kankuro defended, ‘It’s an exact art, jan. Not my fault the Crow and Black Ant need more care than Gaara and Temari’s weapons do.’</p><p>‘Well maybe’ Temari shouted indignantly, ‘If you took care of them <em>ahead of time</em> instead of-’</p><p>‘That’s enough, both of you.’ Baki interrupted, ‘We have a new mission.’ The trio turned to him with varying looks of confusion, willing him to continue. ‘I’m well aware that team Baki’s been disbanded.’ he began, hoping that as little time could be spent on the explanations as possible. ‘We have one final assignment. A rogue nin from the land of fire attacked Konoha. From what they gather, he was looking for a way to replicate the effects of a sharingan.’ Baki paused here, allowing his students to take in the information.</p><p>‘What?’ Temari asked, shocked disbelief bringing a slight rise to her normally cool demeanor. ‘They can’t do that, can they?’</p><p>‘A bloodline trait, unique only to the Uchiha.’ Gaara wondered out loud. ‘I’ve heard of Sharingans being taken, but never replicated.’ It was said as a statement but Baki knew his student well enough to see it was a question.</p><p>‘We don’t know what kind of success this individual has had, but we should deal with the situation as if he’s succeeded in his goal.’ The last thing Baki needed was his students underestimating their opponents.</p><p>‘Wait, if this guys attacking leaf, why’s it our problem anyways jan? Why can’t they deal with it?’ Kankuro asked, his hands making their way into his pockets. </p><p>‘We have reason to believe the nin in question fled to the border between our lands. It’s likely  he’ll cross into our territory. We’ll be meeting with a team from Konoha, and carrying this out as a joint mission.’ Baki explained, taking in the shocked faces of his students.</p><p>‘With the leaf?’ Gaara asked.</p><p>‘So soon after the Konoha Crush?’ Temari wondered. ‘Is that really a good idea? Relations are shaky as is, shouldn’t we wait for tension to die down before working so closely with them?’</p><p>‘Wouldn’t it make more sense to send a Jonin team?’ Kankuro asked. ‘They’d be more willing to turn on a group of low rank nin like us, than a full squad of high ranking shinobi.’</p><p>Baki clenched the bridge of his nose as a headache was starting to form. His students always asked a lot of questions. ‘The failed invasion has left Suna at risk for potential attacks. With no Kazekage, and relations tense, we can’t afford to send a full jonin or elite squad out. It’s our job to make sure this mission is successful, and that we make a good impression on the squad we’ll be meeting with.’</p><p>‘Yeah, but still-’ Temari began, before being cut off by Baki’s raised hand.</p><p>‘Think of it as team Baki’s farewell mission. It’s the last time we’ll be sent out together, after all.’ He said, ‘Pack lightly, and meet me at the village entrance in one hour. You’re dismissed.’ He watched as his students took off. There was no reason to feel concerned, this mission was nowhere near outside their skill range. Still, as Baki left to prepare his own things, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible was going to happen.</p><p>It took just over two days before the sand ninja and leaf ninja were able to meet up. As far as Shikamaru Nara was concerned, the whole thing was turning into a real drag. He’d hoped a different team would be sent, but as usual, he got stuck with all the lame stuff.</p><p>‘Well well, look who finally decided to show up.’ Temari smirked. She was still bothered by her last match with the young Nara, which had ended with him surrendering when he should have won.</p><p>‘Oh man, of course, of all the people it just had to be you guys. What are the odds of that anyways.’ Shikamaru drawled. Each member of the leafs team 10 let their bodies resume a relaxed posture, but in their minds, they couldn’t help but think of the danger Gaara had posed during their last interaction.</p><p>‘Now now, there’s no need for that.’ The eldest of the group admonished. ‘I am Asuma Sarutobi, and I’m sure you remember my students, Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, and Choji Akamichi.’ He gestured to each in turn.</p><p>Baki nodded once before reintroducing his own students. No one had forgotten the three sand nin but it seemed like the polite thing to do anyways.</p><p>‘Now that that’s out of the way,’ Baki continued, ‘Let’s discuss the details of your rogue nin.’</p><p>‘Right’ Asuma agreed. The two teams spoke at length before, as evening hit, they split up and began positioning themselves for the fight ahead. </p><p>It would seem that Genkei, a former ninja from Konoha, was the man they were pursuing now. He had a strange and powerful kekkei genkai of his own, which allowed him to re arrange his own atomic makeup. The ability to turn your body into any form, on the most microscopic level, had allowed him to copy certain bloodline traits in the past. He had attacked Konoha in the hopes of gaining the information needed to replicate a more advanced form of Sasuke's sharingan eye. From the sound of it, it was likely he had succeeded. </p><p>Fortunately, the leaf ninja had a good idea as to where he was hiding out now, so the two teams made for a flanking position and waited for the sun to hit its peak, marking the agreed upon time of engagement.</p><p>When that time did come, both units moved in with the kind of stealth that was only obtained through a lifetime of practice. Asuma was the first to approach Genkei. His arrival was meant as a distraction for Kankuro to maneuver his puppets into a favorable flank. This too, however, was part of a larger plan. The long range jutsu users waited patiently as Shikamaru ready himself for a shadow possession. Through the mayhem, it should be easy for him to connect with Genkei’s shadow.</p><p>To Shikamaru’s credit, it was easy. Asuma had attacked in a direct frontal assault, luring Genkei backwards into the gaping opening of the Black Ant. For a moment, Kankuro thought his puppet would end the fight right then, but with a graceful and immediate turn, Genkei narrowly avoided the trap. </p><p>Kankuro’s disappointment didn’t last long though, as Genkei’s feet were caught in what had appeared, mere seconds before, to be an ordinary bit of sand or dirt. He tried to escape the sands hold, but couldn’t quite pull himself free. When the shadow possession approached him, there was no hope of dodging it. Both the leaf and sand teams regrouped at once, satisfied at this capture. </p><p>‘Shadow possession complete.’ Shikamaru said, pleased that the endeavour was over. Genkei, who had been looking downwards, his long blonde hair covering his face began to shake. The soft sound of giggles could be heard before, at once, his whole head lifted into the air. Maniacal laughs filled the clearing as he stared the group down.</p><p>‘Interesting!’ He laughed, ‘How interesting, boy, this jutsu of yours!’ He raised his hand into the air, Shikamaru copying the movement with wide eyes.</p><p><em>‘It’s not possible! I-I can’t move my body.’</em> Shikamaru thought. It hit him suddenly. The ability to copy another ninja’s kekkei genkai. Shikamaru knew that put his own jutsu at risk, but had never thought he would be able to reverse a shadow possession that had <em>already</em> taken place.</p><p>‘More, more!’ Their foe shouted, ‘As a present for showing me such a great jutsu, I’ll let you be the first to experience my newest achievement!’ Genkei’s eyes closed, but only for a second. When he opened them again they were wide, and red. It would be impossible to mistake them for anything other than the Uchiha’s own sharingan, however, the pattern differed from Sasuke’s.</p><p>‘I found lots of interesting things out about the Uchiha, indeed, indeed!’ He was almost screaming now, a strange swirl, almost like a glitch in reality beginning to encompass Shikamaru. In that moment, many things happened at once.</p><p>Asuma ran forward, hoping to pull Shikamaru out of the way. Chojis arms extended protectively around both men as Ino ducked into a desperate mind transfer formation. </p><p>Alongside them, Baki split from his team quickly, approaching from Genkei’s back, hoping to catch him at a blind spot. Kankuro’s puppets flanked Genkei’s left and right, leaving him little chance to escape. A storm of wind surged forward from Temari’s fan, meant for a direct hit. </p><p>This led to perhaps the most critical moment in the short confrontation, as Genkei’s eyes shifted towards Temari’s assault, and, by extension, the three sand siblings themselves. Gaara’s sand, which had been making its way around Choji and Shikamaru, quickly began to pull back. It was too little, too late though, as a smile twisted Genkei’s pale face.</p><p>‘Kamui.’ He said, almost too quietly to be heard. The visual jutsu which now surrounded the three siblings spiraled inwards, distorting the already panicked looks on their faces as they were sucked into it. ‘Hmm’ Genkei wondered aloud as all parties paused in their assaults briefly, overcome with the shock of the strange jutsu - not killing - but completely erasing three exceptionally strong individuals in the blink of an eye. ‘I guess I made the portal too big. I was only trying to get half their bodies but I got the whole thing instead.’</p><p>For a moment there was silence before Ino’s voice rang through the clearing, ‘Mind transfer jutsu!’</p><p>Baki forced his body to continue, almost mechanically. His mind never wandered though, from the spot where his three students had stood less than a moment ago. A single thought in his mind persisted through the chaos of combat. <em>Shit.</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Village Hidden in the... Britain?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone! I want to start off the notes this week by saying that I was very surprised with the attention this story is getting compared to my other story, 'How the Sky Falls'. I thought this would be more of a side thing, but now that there's some interest, and I genuinely love Naruto and Harry Potter so much.</p>
<p>Because in under a week, we've almost surpassed my first story in views, I've decided to commit to this as a permanent, full fledged story. I look forward to many chapters with you all!</p>
<p>That being said, thank you for starting on this journey with me and please leave a review letting me know what you think about the newest chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Screaming. It was the first thing the three sand ninja could definitively make out about their surroundings. Laughter was the second thing, a strange combination with the very real panic that seemed to be taking place.</p>
<p>The three shinobi took up an immediate defensive posture. They were in some kind of field, surrounded by tents and strangely dressed people. Despite the difference in appearance, no one paid the trio any mind. Not even when Gaara's sand began to swirl around his feet, an impressive display of what could only be perceived as wandless magic.</p>
<p>'What the <em>hell?'</em> It was the only thing Kankuro could come up with that adequately explained how he was feeling. The noise surrounding the three was booming and he had to shout to be heard.</p>
<p>'Some sort of transportation jutsu?' Gaara offered, the sound of his voice; much quieter than his siblings, was swept away almost as soon as he spoke. Temari nodded, her enhanced sense of hearing making out the words.</p>
<p>'This doesn't look like the land of Wind.' She said carefully, thinking back to the maps she had studied over as a child.</p>
<p>And then the three heard it. A high pitched wail of terror rang out amongst the laughter and the three shinobi's heads quickly turned to see what the cause was. A group, cloaked in black and the apparent cause of the mayhem, cleared a path through the crowds. Above them, suspended over burning tents, a woman was crying and shouting for someone to help her. Two children were jerked side to side and spun for the amusement of those inflicting the suffering. The fourth and last individual was a man, who alternated between trying to grab hold of his wife, and trying to grab hold of his children.</p>
<p>Kankuro's face twisted in disgust as he took a step towards the mayhem.</p>
<p>'Wait, Kankuro.' Temari grabbed tightly onto his arm and pulled her brother back. 'We don't know where we are or what's going on. Baki and that team from Konoha could be in trouble. We should slip away before we're noticed.'</p>
<p>'Yeah, but Temari...' He said, gesturing to the panicked family behind him. Her gaze softened as she released her grip on him.</p>
<p>'We have enough to worry about.' She said firmly. 'I'm sure someone here will help them.' The girl began to turn away, looking for an opening of escape. After ditching the crowd, it would be easy to stay hidden. Her eyes settled on the least populated path between them and the not so far off tree line and she tilted her head back to her siblings. Kankuro stepped towards her, but Gaara's body was still as stone.</p>
<p>'Gaara?' The girl asked, but he didn't show any sign he'd heard her. His eyes were locked on the screaming family.</p>
<p><em>'Naruto Uzumaki'</em> Gaara thought to himself. <em>'Would you walk away?'</em> He knew the answer to that thought before he'd even finished thinking it. Temari began to call out to him again, but he was gone before she'd ever had the chance to finish.</p>
<p>'Gaara, wait, don't-' Her shoulders sagged in defeat as he darted through the crowd and towards the source of panic. <em>'I don't know if it makes me glad that you care this much about strangers, or annoyed.'</em> She thought to herself, sighing.</p>
<p>'Guess it can't be helped, eh, Temari?' Kankuro smirked, one eye closed in a wink, before dashing quickly after his little brother.</p>
<p>Temari looked back to their path of escape, then to her two siblings. <em>'Boys'</em> she huffed to herself, before readjusting her fan and running in after them.</p>
<p>Gaara weaved carefully through the shifting crowd, stopping only when he'd made it to the group of laughing men. He considered the situation as people cleared the way, leaving him as the only obstacle standing between the cult and their continued rampage.</p>
<p>The first thing Gaara noticed was the sticks that each of his now enemies were carefully waving through the air. His brow furrowed as he tried to puzzle out what purpose they were meant to serve. Sand swirled viciously around his feet before quickly lashing out at the closest cloaked figure.</p>
<p>Unlike before, this did warrant attention as those in the area turned towards the small red haired boy who was standing defiantly before the terrorizing wizards. His sand connected with one man's leg easily, and whipped him through the air before releasing him. A large snap could be heard as the body connected with the post of a still standing tent. Aside from the soft sounds of a sobbing family, the clearing was silent.</p>
<p>'Man, these guys are total pushovers jan. Thought we were gonna get some real action.' Gaara turned to his brother. Karasu was leaning over one of his shoulders while the Black Ant slowly crept around, seeking a flank.</p>
<p>'Too late to back out now.' Temari remarked, leaning down as she suspended her now open fan on her back, one hand supporting it at the bottom while the other held it up top. Her gaze stayed trained on her opponents, ready to attack or defend.</p>
<p>An awkward silence persisted as those in the area stared at the strange artifacts the three siblings wielded. One man, who seemed to conclude these three children were not worthy of all this hesitation, raised his wand and fired off a red light.</p>
<p>'Stupefy!' The man shouted. The beam of light was well aimed, but it didn't matter. Gaara saw the light fast approaching before, at what seemed like the last possible second, sand burst upwards with an explosive speed and took the hit. The red haired boy hadn't moved at all.</p>
<p>'That's an unusual jutsu.' Gaara remarked, outstretching a hand and willing his sand forward. 'I've never seen a ninja tool like that one before.'</p>
<p>Kankuro leaned into his brother closely, 'Let us handle these clowns jan. Can you help the family?'</p>
<p>Gaara nodded once, as Karasu shook and clacked. It's mouth opened so wide that it's jaw would have broken, had it been a real person. Three kunai shot out towards the man who had cast at them only seconds before.</p>
<p>'Protego!' The man shouted, raising his arm sharply as all three clashed harmlessly against an invisible wall. 'Children shouldn't play with knives!' He yelled out, trying to hide the slight shake in his hands. <em>'Just who are these kids?'</em> He asked himself, staring at the weapons that lay innocently on the ground.</p>
<p>'What did you say?' Kankuro asked, looking exceptionally annoyed. He pulled his hands back, then flinged them forward. Karasu launched with a speed that many trained shinobi couldn't keep up with, let alone the group standing in front of him.</p>
<p>The man raised his wand again, but it was too late. Karasu wrapped around him tightly. Blades protruded from the arms of the puppet and the man gave a horrified scream as blood began dripping down his clothes.</p>
<p>'Get it off!' He screamed, 'Someone please, get it off of me!' One of the man's allies quickly raised his wand, attempting to fight through his shock. In a moment of confusion and terror, he cast the first spell that came to mind.</p>
<p>'Confringo.' The tip of his wand supplied a ray of fire which exploded on contact when it hit wood. Karasu flew in every direction, no longer whole, but broken into multiple pieces. The man who had been in the puppets grasp prior to this took the excess of the blast and fell unconscious, both bleeding from cuts and burns.</p>
<p>The sand siblings watched in confusion. These men had no nerve, and fumbled helplessly. Most genin could handle the situation better. Before they had time to dwell on current proceedings any more than that, a plethora of spells, varying in colour and effect, came flying at the three siblings.</p>
<p>Gaara's sand circled around himself and his two teammates. The pieces of Karasu lifted as Kankuro sent Black Ant in. He had hoped to sneak it around his opponents, but the crowd who were desperately trying to decide if they should run or stay and watch, had screamed and pointed after seeing what Karasu could do. <em>'Civilians really need to be taught some tact'</em> He thought bitterly.</p>
<p>'Wind scythe jutsu!' Temari called, as she swept the heavy fan around her small body. She gave an annoyed look as she was ignored in favour of attempting to break Gaara's sand shield. Her wind could be hard to see, but <em>honestly,</em> she'd called it out and everything. She considered her youngest sibling for a moment as the sound of screaming signified her jutsu landing on her opponents. A few months ago, Gaara would have never extended his defense to his two teammates. She allowed the feeling of pride to overtake her for a moment before turning back to the fight with a smirk. She watched as the small group that had been captured in her vortex fell to the ground.</p>
<p>This mayhem caused the few men who had abstained from fighting to start flinging curses as well. The family who had long since fainted, aside from the father, dropped suddenly. Their bodies quickly approached the flames, and the man closed his eyes, waiting for what he was sure would be the end. The heat and searing pain never came though, as he felt a wave of cool sand gently wrap around him and his family. He was quickly pulled to the red haired child's feet.</p>
<p>'You are not injured?' Gaara asked, his intense gaze focused on the small group as they landed. The man sputtered incoherently, looking between the child in front of him, the fight that was raging behind him, and the bits and clumps of sand that were wildly flying around the battlefield, blocking any beam that got too close to its mark.</p>
<p>Finally, the man nodded his head. He wanted to take his family and run, find somewhere, anywhere that was safe. But from every side he was surrounded by people he didn't trust so he pulled his children and wife closer and hoped this was a nightmare he would wake up from.</p>
<p>Gaara's brow furrowed before he began stepping past the family. 'Stay behind me.' He cautioned. He didn't get far though, as he was able to make out a wand pointed in his direction.</p>
<p>'Oppugno.' The man screamed, but no light came from his wand. Even so, the sight of a potential attack caused Gaara's sand to rise protectively in front of him.</p>
<p>'I don't know what you're trying to do, but-' He cut himself off as he saw his own sand, which had faithfully protected him since birth, slowly turn and launch itself at him. He stood stunned, eyes widening a fraction. He thought of that night, more than six years ago. The only night his sand had ever caused him any harm at all. His forehead almost stung at the reminder as his own shield closed in.</p>
<p>'Protego!' A voice shouted. Gaara's sand bounced harmlessly off the invisible wall. He turned his head slowly, to see a man who's red hair was almost as noticeable as his own.</p>
<p>Arthur Weasley had prepared to be surprised when he arrived. He'd mentally prepared himself for whatever horrors he might have to confront. He expected the unexpected and yet… this was not what he had expected. At all. Three kids waved around a set of magical artifacts, the likes of which he had never seen anything even remotely similar to, as if they were toys. With no wand, might he add!</p>
<p>Still, he hadn't thought twice when he saw enough sand to bury someone completely launch itself at the young man in front of him. It wasn't in him to allow a child to come to harm.</p>
<p>'Rictusempra.' He incanted, adding to the chaos surrounding them. Maybe it was the three strange individuals, or the sight of floating sand attacking its apparent wielder, or even, perhaps, the fact that the two other young(wizards?) had stopped in their assault to turn towards their comrade. But one, or maybe all, of these elements contributed to his spell landing firmly on its target. The man who was hit fell to his knees, laughing hysterically.</p>
<p>A young blonde girl and young man dressed in black moved with a speed he almost couldn't catch. They stood by the red haired childs side, whispering concernedly. Arthur raised his wand again, ready to defend the family, and children, that were at risk.</p>
<p>The cloaked men stepped back however, and a sudden chill filled the air. Screams began ringing out once again as people pointed and shouted. Arthur turned behind him to see what the commotion was. He could see other ministry officials, some of whom had been clearing the crowds earlier, approaching to finally lend a hand with the situation. They, too, paused and looked up to the sky where a large skull appeared. It's colour was a sickly green, and from the maw protruded a long, vicious looking snake. He stood there, with the rest of the crowd, completely stunned.</p>
<p>'Temari, Gaara, look.' A voice cut the silence. His head snapped towards the children as the cat-eared boy pointed to the, presumed, Death Eaters. A slew of spells were cast in the direction of the cloaked men, but by the time they would have hit their mark, the group had collected their injured and apparated away. The ministry workers turned quickly on the three remaining foreigners, wands pointed.</p>
<p>'Wait!' Arthur shouted, 'Wait! These kids, they were trying to stop the attack. Kids, for god's sake, put your wands down. They're <em>children.</em>' He pleaded, running forward in an attempt to physically shield the odd individuals from harm.</p>
<p>'What do you mean kids-' Cat ears began indignantly.</p>
<p>'Shut up, Kankuro!' The girl warned, having a better read on the situation. Honestly, they didn't need to be starting more trouble than they already had.</p>
<p>'What nation are we in?' The red head's voice was low, but commanded everyone's attention. It wasn't until that moment that people really got a good look at the strangers. Their attire stood out worse than wizard robes did in a muggle street, but the shortest man's features were perhaps the most peculiar. Dark lines surrounded his browless eyes, and a strange symbol stood out as a bright red scar on his forehead. Cat ears was a close second, as the elaborate design of his face paint gave him a haunting look in the dim lighting. The flames added to the haunting look and created something fairly frightening.</p>
<p>'What nation?' Arthur asked, perplexed. 'Why, Britain, of course.'</p>
<p>The three shinobi stared at him with blank faces before the red head nodded carefully. 'Yes, but what <em>nation</em> is that in?' He emphasized the word as if speaking to a child. There was silence for a moment as Arthur looked the three teens up and down.</p>
<p>'Britain.' He reiterated, hoping they had simply misheard. Again, he was met with blank stares.</p>
<p>'Hold on jan, i've got a map.' Cat ears fumbled through a pouch attached to the back of his pants before pulling out a rolled bit of parchment. He smoothed it out on the ground before beckoning Arthur over. He approached carefully.</p>
<p>'Temari, by the way.' The young girl- Temari- greeted him. 'And my brothers, Kankuro and Gaara.'</p>
<p>'Sup.' Cat ea- Kankuro held a hand up in greeting.</p>
<p>'I'm honored.' Gaara bowed his head politely.</p>
<p>Arthur had never had a child offer enough respect to <em>bow.</em> He extended his own hand, though no one took it, and said 'Arthur Weasley, pleased to meet you.' He looked down at the map after it became clear no one would shake his hand and quickly saw where the confusion was coming from. Large masses of land were organized by colour. He had never seen anywhere that looked like this though. Strange symbols were neatly printed on the parchment, but they didn't help his confusion. He wished he had his own map to compare.</p>
<p>'This isn't- I've never seen anywhere like this.' He told them helplessly.</p>
<p>'You ever seen a map? This is- <em>ow</em>- seriously, Tem?' Kankuro smacked the hand that had just pinched his arm rather hard.</p>
<p>'It must be the wrong map.' She said aggressively, staring her brother in the eye.</p>
<p>'Arthur, let's bring them in' One ministry worker called, creeping closer to the group.</p>
<p>'Now is that really necessary?' Arthur called back. 'They were here for the Quidditch World Cup, just like everyone else, isn't that right?' He turned to the three kids who looked at him blankly. He wanted to believe his own words but what he'd just seen, and the way these kids acted... 'Where are your parents?' He tried. The siblings looked between each other, but surprisingly, Gaara was the one to speak up.</p>
<p>'We got separated.' He said blatantly, 'Our parents left.' Gaara had hoped adding this statement would mean no one would want to search for said parents and that the three siblings could make a quick exit. Upon seeing Arthur Weasley's concerned expression however, he wished he hadn't said anything at all. He still wasn't very good with social manipulation and he cursed himself for it.</p>
<p>'Take them in.' The same man from before said, approaching the group with a few other wizards in tow.</p>
<p>'Nonsense!' Arthur admonished, 'I have a tent here. They can stay with me for the night. I'm sure their parents will be looking for them. If they leave, it would just make it more difficult to reunite them.' With that said, he gestured for the children to follow him. He wasn't sure why exactly he felt the need to keep these kids away from the ministry, but something told him if they found out about the sort of magic the three foreigners were using, it would be bad news. Gaara looked at Arthur Weasley, and then to the family who he had saved from the fire moments ago.</p>
<p>'Don't worry about them' Mr. Weasley smiled. He gestured to the wizards who had approached and said, 'The ministry can take care of them from here.'</p>
<p>The three shinobi weren't exactly sure what that meant, but considering they all seemed to be against what had just taken place, they were satisfied with that answer.</p>
<p>Kankuro, Temari and Gaara shared a long look before nodding to each other. Kankuro- not wanting to cause any more of a scene than they apparently had- gathered the scattered pieces of Karasu, wrapped them in a spare bit of cloth and made to follow his siblings away. A loud groan followed by excited shouts told him that these strange shinobi had just found the man Gaara had initially tossed into the tent post. Guess he wasn't able to get away with the rest of them.</p>
<p>After separating from the other adults, Kankuro jogged to the side of the worried looking man.</p>
<p>'Hey, uh, you seem alright' Kankuro began, thrusting his one available hand into his pocket as he matched pace with the rushing Mr. Weasley. 'I get the feeling that we didn't see everything that jutsu you were using back there had to offer. What's up with that anyways jan?'</p>
<p>Arthur Weasley thought that perhaps, in his rush through the crowd(his kids, Harry and Hermione were his now, immediate, priority) he had misheard the boy. 'Jut sew?' He asked, hoping for a correction.</p>
<p>'The sticks.' Temari corrected quickly, issuing Kankuro another hard look. 'Our parents call it that but he means the sticks.'</p>
<p>'My <em>wand?</em>' Mr. Weasley asked incredulously. He had never heard of it being referred to in such a strange way before, and he'd met wizards from a variety of different countries. He thought about the bizarre artifacts strapped to their backs and wondered, not for the first time, just who these kids were.</p>
<p>'Just the stuff coming out of it.' Kankuro corrected. He knew something weird was going on and he wanted to find out what it was now, rather than when it could do them harm later.</p>
<p>'<em>Spells?</em> Heavens, what school have you been learning in? Sticks and Jut sew, you couldn't be far off in age from my son and you don't know a thing!' Arthur was completely taken aback as he stopped just outside the edge of the woods. 'We'll talk about this later, for now stay quiet and keep your heads down.' After a moment, he decided to add, 'And keep those artifacts under control.'</p>
<p>After a few tense moments of walking, the group came across a commotion. The siblings figured that the cause of said commotion must have been the same people Arthur Weasley was looking for. Kankuro, Temari and Gaara stayed back, hoping to keep out of trouble as they shared hushed whispers. Wherever they were, it was definitely far from home.</p>
<p>Somewhere above them the dark mark shifted, acting as a horrifying omen that the sand siblings couldn't even begin to understand.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that is the second chapter. I finally decided where I wanted to place the Sand Siblings in the timeline. Officially, we'll be starting in the Goblet of Fire.</p>
<p>This story will be updated every Wednesday from this day forward.</p>
<p>Lots of love for everyone and don't forget to leave a review if you feel so inclined! See you next week!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well, that's it folks.</p><p>I won't be choosing a static day every week for this to be updated just yet. There are still some details I want to work out, so I can't say for sure when this will get its next chapter. I thought I knew where in the Harry Potter timeline I wanted to drop them but I'm having last minute second thoughts. Regardless, know that the story will be updated again relatively soon, as I don't plan on leaving it hanging for long.</p><p>If anyone was wondering, I've started using single quotations instead of double ones for this story because I wanted it to feel a little bit closer to the Harry Potter books, which are written this way. It's not a mistake :)</p><p>Until next time, please leave a review and let me know your thoughts!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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